FIRST GRADE TEACHER VS. EVIL VILLAIN

Let’s set the scene…

Miss S., the first grade teacher takes off the Friday before and the Monday after spring break to relax in paradise, only to return on the Tuesday after to fight off the evil villain (COVID) with all her might. While she put up a good fight all this time, much to her dismay, the evil villain kicked both her butt and her partner’s.

Never the less, her courage and love for her students provides her with just enough strength to brave through returning exactly a week later on that next Tuesday. The first grade teacher is stricken with anxiety and worry as she contemplates how her day might unfold as the thoughts and questions in her mind overwhelm her…

Will I have the strength to muster through?

How much classroom management am I going to have to reteach?

Do I think I’ll still have a voice by the end of the day?

What will be waiting for me when I get back?

What if I can’t do it?

7:55 am… it’s go time. The sound of little feet come shuffling down the hallway. A few students pass, but they aren’t the first grade teacher’s just yet. She waits with anticipation, who will she see first? That’s when she sees her. Little F, peering through her new magenta glasses with a blonde pony tail bobbing up and down as she walks. Her face immediately lights up when she sees her teacher. Her excitement is almost too much to handle as she nearly jumps out of her skin and the first grade teacher braces herself for impact.

“MISS S. YOU’RE BACK! YOU’RE REALLY BACK!” F shouts with a near toothless smile.

F ran as fast as she could with her backpack swaying from side to side as she moved. She threw her arms around her teacher and nuzzled in with a much needed embrace, for both of them. The hug shined a bright light on the first grade teacher that filled her heart with love and happiness.

One by one, more students arrived. And as they did, they said things like…

“Miss S., I missed you so much, I really did!”

“I’m so happy you’re back!”

“I was really worried about you!”

With each kind word, and heartwarming act, the teacher’s power and will to keep going grew stronger and stronger. Cards, air hugs, smiles and laughter were healing her moment by moment. While she still may have hurdles to get through, today the love surrounding her was more than enough.